Snout profile arched; anterior nostril pierced on front side of a flap; processus dentiformis present; a small median notch in upper lip, lower lip with a median incision; head length 22.0-24.1 %SL; body depth 17.8-19.7 %SL; caudal peduncle length 16.5-18.8 %SL, depth 13.4-14.8 %SL, 1.16-1.33 times in length; lateral line complete; anus about 1-2 eye diameters in front of anal-fin origin; 8.5 branched dorsal-fin rays; 5.5 branched anal-fin rays; caudal fin emarginate, with 9+8 branched rays; axillary pelvic lobe present; top of head marmorated, no particular pattern; body with 7-13 bars, usually wider than or as wide as interspaces, wider anteriorly than posteriorly; black bar at caudal-fin base usually complete but very faint, except for a vertically elongate blotch occupying about half of caudal-fin base; dorsal-fin base with a black spot at anterior extremity, sometimes an elongate blotch further behind; in life, bright red dorsal and caudal fins, bright yellow-orange anal, pelvic and pectoral fins (Ref. 36949). Juveniles (2 cm SL) with irregular bars, often appearing as pairs of black bars with paler grey area in between (Ref. 43281).